Presidential Speeches

'Prudence and strength' . . . 'bind up  the wounds' . . . 'come dance with me'

DOUGLAS HYDE

June 25th, 1938

The historical significance of the occasion was the overarching theme in the inauguration of the first president, Dr Douglas Hyde. All of the speeches were in Irish, reflecting the fact Hyde was the founder of the Gaelic League.

“In your accession to office we hail the closing of the breach that has existed since the undoing of our nation at Kinsale,” then taoiseach Éamon de Valera said.

He said Hyde’s foresight in saving the language merited him the gratitude of generations to come. He said Hyde beckoned people “to make the future a rival of the past, urging us to be ever worthy of our inheritance as a great spiritual nation whose empire is of the soul”.

In his brief response Hyde asked God for “sense, prudence and strength” to fulfil his duties.

SEÁN T O’KELLY

June 25th, 1945

Seán T O’Kelly said he hoped to do “great things for Ireland” in co-operation with the people and government. He gave thanks to God without whose help it would not be possible to elect a president.

The election campaign theme of O’Kelly was his “lifetime’s work for the nation” as a founding member of Fianna Fáil and member of the Dáil for more than 25 years. “You have surely earned that high honour by all you have done over a period of many years to secure the freedom of the nation and to save our mother tongue,” taoiseach Éamon de Valera said.

O’Kelly said he hoped to follow his predecessor Douglas Hyde’s teachings, especially in promoting the Irish language.

ÉAMON de VALERA

June 25th, 1959

The simple ceremony for Éamon de Valera’s inauguration took little more than 20 minutes. The role was seen as the last in a long career for Dev, including being taoiseach three times. He left that office days before the inauguration.

In his speech at the ceremony, new taoiseach Seán Lemass paid tribute to president de Valera “as our head and rightful chief” and “to whom above all other men we owe our freedom to choose for ourselves the president of a sovereign independent Irish State”.

“For over 40 years” he had “remained a living symbol for which so many generations of our race have striven”, Lemass said.

During his speech de Valera made a reference to Fianna Fáil continuing without his leadership, saying he hoped Lemass would receive from others the same loyalty Lemass had always given to the State.

ERSKINE CHILDERS

June 25th, 1973

The interfaith service was one of the most notable aspects of the inauguration of the State’s second Protestant president, Erskine H Childers, in 1973. The service was attended by all politicians and representatives of Catholic and Protestant clergy.

“I know I shall need the prayers of the people for God’s guidance in the performance of my duties and in making a meaningful contribution to the harmony among Irishmen and Irishwomen we all desire,” Childers said in his speech.

The previous day thousands had gathered to bid de Valera farewell as he left the Áras.

Childers described de Valera as a “political mentor and leader and my friend for many years”.

CEARBHALL Ó DÁLAIGH

December 19th, 1974

Former chief justice Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh was nominated as president by all parties on the sudden death of Erskine Childers.

He used his speech to introduce the concept of a widening of the role of president.

“Presidents under the Irish Constitution don’t have policies. But . . . a president can have a theme,” he said.

The theme of his presidency would be “community spirit”, and he wanted to “try to “bind up the wounds of this troubled land”.

He expressed hope for a Christmas truce by the Provisional IRA in his inauguration speech.

“And if that were granted is it too bold to hope,” he asked “for a temporary extension – to be prolonged indefinitely?”

The ceasefire was announced the next day and lasted two weeks.

He wanted to “retain some of the simplicity of life” adding “if kings may ride bicycles, why then, a fortiori, presidents may pedal too”.

PATRICK HILLERY

December 3rd, 1976

Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh’s resignation led to Hillery’s election without contest. Ó Dálaigh had resigned after the minister for defence called his decision to refer a Bill to the Supreme Court “a thundering disgrace”.

During his inauguration speech, Hillery spoke of the “evolution of the presidency” and paid tribute to his predecessor. “I believe it will be neither an easy nor an instant accomplishment for me to make my contribution to the further evolution of the office,” he said, vowing to first “reflect on what may be achieved and what must be conserved and protected. It is in this spirit of reflection, a spirit which I believe springs from a need felt throughout Ireland, that I take up office.”

MARY ROBINSON

December 3rd, 1990

At her inauguration, Mary Robinson spoke of a “new Ireland”, more “open, tolerant and inclusive”. As the first female president, she addressed “citizens of Ireland, mná na hÉireann agus fir na hÉireann”. She wanted women “who felt themselves outside history to be written back into history”.

The diaspora was a major theme in her speech. She would be “proud to represent” the 70 million people who could claim Irish descent, she said. She put forward her intention to use the office to promote human rights: “One of the greatest national resources is and always has been our ability to serve as a moral and political conscience in world affairs,” she said.

Robinson wanted as president to sing to the citizens a 14th century refrain recalled by WB Yeats: “I am of Ireland, come dance with me in Ireland”.

MARY McALEESE

November 11th, 1997

The pledge to build bridges and help ease tensions North and South was a major theme of the inauguration speech of Mary McAleese as the first Northern nationalist president. “These bridges require no engineering skills but they will demand patience, imagination and courage, for Ireland’s pace of change is now bewilderingly fast,” she said.

“I want to point the way to a reconciliation of these many tensions and to see Ireland grow ever more comfortable and at ease with the flowering diversity that is now all around us,” she said. She spoke of narrowing the rich-poor divide: “At our core we are a sharing people . . . We know our duty is to spread the benefits of our prosperity to those whose lives are still mired in poverty, unemployment, worry and despair.”